Rahab (Monster)

A mythological sea monster that symbolized Egypt (Psalm 87:4). “Egypt’s help is futile and empty; therefore I have called her Rahab Who Sits Still” (Isaiah 30:7). The writers of the Bible described how God helped the people of Israel cross the Red Sea while the Egyptian army drowned there (compare Isaiah 51:10). They used the image of God fighting and defeating a powerful monster to tell this story (Job 26:12; Psalm 89:10; Isaiah 51:9 ).

See also Egypt, Egyptian.